SINGAPORE: Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said Singaporeans are displaying a united front in efforts to capture Mas Selamat Kastari.

Speaking to Channel NewsAsia at a community event on Saturday, Mr Tharman said he is also heartened that the Malay-Muslim community is taking a lead in this search.

He said: "From the initial reactions, Singaporeans are confident that Mas Selamat will be found, but more importantly this is an opportunity where Singaporeans are coming together, reassuring each other and also reassuring the Malay-Muslim community who have themselves taken the lead.

"What you read on the Internet is sometimes different from what you observe on the ground. They're calm, they're alert, but no one is giving anyone a cold shoulder."


- CNA/so

• Singapore telcos join hunt for wanted JI leader • Volunteers from Malay/Muslim organisations distribute posters on Mas Selamat • Religious leaders say country's social fabric remains strong • Thorough search for JI leader leads to massive congestion at land checkpoints • Search for JI leader continues with posters put up island-wide • JI fugitive Mas Selamat Kastari planning escape to Indonesia